Friday, October 16, 2015

City to host electronics and household hazardous waste recycling and document shredding in November

If you have electronics you need to recycle, or other things like cooking oil, pesticides, batteries and so on, or personal documents you want shredded, the city is hosting recycling on Thursdays and Saturdays at the Fort Totten Transfer Station near Catholic U.Here's the press release from the city. (And a reminder that they do it every month!)

(Washington, DC) The DC Department of Public Works announced today the November 2015 schedule for disposing of household hazard waste, e-cycling and personal documents for shredding at the Fort Totten Transfer Station*.

Monthly, weekday HHW and e-cycling drop-off: Thursday, November 5. Every month, weather permitting, DPW will accept HHW and e-cycling the Thursday before the first Saturday between 1 pm and 5 pm.

Monthly, Saturday personal document shredding is November 7 between 8 am and 3 pm. DPW will accept personal documents for shredding the first Saturday of the month only.

District residents may bring HHW items such as cooking oil, pesticides, pet flea control and cleaning fluids to Fort Totten, along with e-cycling items such as computers, televisions and other unwanted electronic equipment. For a list of all household hazardous waste and e-cyclables accepted by DPW, please click on this link www.dpw.dc.gov and navigate to Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off. DPW does not accept latex paint, which can be disposed of in the trash. Paint must be dried out by adding an absorbent, such as kitty litter or sawdust, to it before it goes in the trash.

On the first Saturday of the month only, residents may bring up to five boxes of personal documents to be shredded. No business or commercial material will be accepted. Personal documents to be shredded will be accepted only on the first Saturday (except holidays) because these documents cannot be protected until the shredding contractor arrives on the first Saturday of the month.

DPW reminds residents that certain batteries (lithium-based and batteries greater than 9 volts) should be taped before being brought to Fort Totten. Lithium-based batteries are most commonly found in cell phones, digital cameras and laptops. Also, hearing aids, watches and keyless remotes typically use button cells that contain lithium. To safely dispose of batteries with lithium or batteries of greater than 9 volts, put clear, masking or electrical tape on the batteries' terminals. Flat button batteries can be sandwiched between two layers of tape. Examples are pictured at http://dpw.dc.gov/node/414902. Place these batteries in a separate container from other batteries that don't require being taped, e.g., A, AAA, C, D, 6-volt and 9-volt batteries.

*Directions to Fort Totten, 4900 John F. McCormack Drive, NE: Travel east on Irving Street, NW, turn left on Michigan Avenue, turn left on John F. McCormack Drive, NE and continue to the end of the street. Directions from additional locations can be found at http://dpw.dc.gov/node/414922